van allen



y' rUNITED STATES `PATENT OFFICE.

o. D. VAN ALLEN, or NEW YORK, N. r.

iNvALID-BEDSTEAD.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 10,840, dated April 2 5, 1854i..

l i T 0 all whom t may concern city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Invalid-Bedsteads; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in combining and arranging a movable bed with a stat-ionary suspension mattress (in the manner hereafter described) so that the bed can be lowered from the patient for the purposes of removing emissions, arranging and airing or Ventilating the bedding, &c., and raised again to the patient without moving or disturbing the patient in the least, whereby, the heretofore objectionable necessity of elevating or depressing the patient with the bed or moving him or her for these and like purposes and the injurious effects arising to the patient therefrom are entirely avoided.

Figure l of said drawings represents a perspective view of my bedstead, showing the bed lowered from the mattress `and drawn or slid out, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section in a vertical plane through the center ofthe same, showing the bed raised up and in Contact with the mattress.

The same letters refer to like parts in each of these figures.

The posts (a) and rails (b) composing the frame of the bedstead may be made of any desired form or pattern and fastened together in any well known manner. The head parts of the rails, however, are cut away to receive a frame (e) which extends across the head of the bedstead and is hinged or jointed to the side rails so as to be capable of rising and falling to suit the convenience or comfort of the patient.

(c) is the stationary mattress composed of canvas or other suitable material. It is secured to the side rails and movable head part or frame (e) by tacks or otherwise, and at the foot to the shaft of a windlass (f), by which it is tightened, slackened or adjusted in any desirable manner longitudinally. The frame (e), which sustains the head part of the mattress (c), is provided on its underside with two slats or strips of wood g) which are hinged or jointed thereto, and from their ends pass straps to a windlass (i) by which the frame (e) can Be it known that I, C. D. VAN ALLEN, of the be elevated or depressed to any angle of inclination desired and retained there by a ratchet wheel on the shaft of the windlass and a pawl working on the side rail.

(j) (Figs. l and 2) is a frame adapted to the four posts of the bedstead so as to slide up and down below the mattress (c) within them, and sliding in grooves in the frame (j) is another frame (k), provided with slats upon which the bed (Z) rests. This frame can be slid vin or out as the case may require when the bed is lowered from the mattress, and when slid out as represented in Fig. l its outer side may be supported by casters or in any other suitable manner. These frames and is) which sustain and carry the bed (Z) are suspended under the mattress (c) by means of straps (o), which are connected with a windlass (n), so that they can be elevated and depressed or raised to and lowered from the mattress (c) by the turning of one windlass The straps (0) are four in number, two of which are attach'ed'to the head and two to the foot of the frame (j). Those attached to the head of the frame (j) are short and lead directly to the windlass (n), but the others are longer, so as to admit of their passing over trundle pinions on the windlass shaft (f) at the foot of the bedstead and from thence the whole length of the bedstead to the windlass (n), as shown in Fig. l by dotted lines. The windlass (n) on which the four straps (o) wind'is provided with a ratchet wheel on the end of its shaft and a pawl working on the side rail of thebedstead, so that the bed and frames can be checked and held at any point of elevation desired or the bed forced up with considerable force under the back of the patient.

(p) represents obstetrical cords or straps for the patient to pull upon, and (r) a belt or strap for the patient to press the feet against. These are designed to beused in cases of parturition or child bed. The cords (77) may be attached to the foot rail of the bedstead in an adjustable manner, and the strap (r) to the side rails in the same manner, so as to adapt them to the convenience of different patients.

(g) are rings attached to the ends of cords (79) for the patient to grasp with the hands when pulling upon them.

(s) is a strap arranged as represented or in any suitable manner across the foot of the bedstead for the purpose of supporting the leg or legs in surgical operations.

I-Iaving thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-ters Patent, is-

The arrangement and combination of the elevating and depressing bed l(Z) with the stationary suspension mattress (c), whereby the bed is raised to and lowered from the patient when necessary, instead of moving the patient, thus avoiding the necessity of moving or disturbing the patient in the least, substantially as set forth and represented.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name before two subscribing witnesses. C. D VAN ALLEN.

Witnesses:

SAML. GRUBB,

GEO. K. BAUGH. 

